SCOLOPENDEIUM. 
155 
exceedingly interesting. There is only one British species, 
but of this there are numerous varieties, which have a 
perfectly distinct aspect, owing to peculiarities in their 
development. They are all evergreen, and on this account, 
as well as by reason of their hardihood and bold striking 
appearance, they are among the most ornamental of all 
Ferns for out-door rockwork. The genus is known by 
the peculiarities of its sori, which, though forming parallel 
oblique lines at intervals on each side the midvein, and 
having the appearance of being single if seen when mature, 
are in reality composed of two sori, set face to face, and so 
close together as to become confluent along their whole 
length. This is best seen just at the stage when the 
indusia are bursting ; indeed, at a later stage of develop- 
ment an unpractised eye would probably fail to observe 
any evidence that such was really the structure. The 
fructification, technically speaking, consists of sori con- 
fluent in pairs, the two sori forming each pair being placed 
face to face. 
Scolopendrium is merely an alteration of Scolopendra, 
the scientific name of the insect better known as the 
centipede ; and the name is applied from a fancied resem- 
blance (in the position, we suppose) between the feet of 
